The US-Iran deal should allow a return of container shipping to the Strait of Hormuz, but the scale of disruption caused by the blockade puts a recovery of ocean supply chain networks at mid-September 2026, in a best-case scenario, says Xeneta, an ocean and air freight intelligence platform.
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The United States has lifted its naval blockade of Iran and commercial shipping has begun cautiously returning to the Strait of Hormuz after Washington and Tehran signed an interim agreement aimed at ending months of conflict in the Gulf.
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The UAE Cabinet has issued a resolution setting the minimum age for social media use at 15 years. Children below this age are prohibited from creating, using, or operating personal accounts on social media platforms.
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The UAE has maintained its position as the world's fifth most competitive economy while ranking first globally in Economic Performance in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, reinforcing its status as one of the world's most resilient and future-ready economies.
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As the Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives move from experimentation to production, fragmented log management from too many tools is emerging as a key barrier to operational scale. The rapid growth of AI workloads is pushing traditional log management approaches to their limits, said an expert.
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Oil prices declined further on Thursday, following the release of the text of the interim agreement signed by the US and Iran.
The 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the United States and Iran aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while offering Tehran a pathway to significant economic relief. However, it defers many of the most contentious issues that fuelled the recent conflict to subsequent negotiations.
Gulf Partners Group, a management-led GCC private markets firm based in Bahrain, together with Payward, the unified infrastructure platform and parent company of both NinjaTrader and digital asset platform Kraken, has announced the closing of a $100 million senior secured private credit facility for US-based NinjaTrader Group Holding.
King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) has signed an agreement with Pan Kingdom Real Estate to develop an integrated industrial complex comprising 168 ready-built industrial units across 214,000 sq m area within the mega development in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
GCC fixed-income yields are benefitting from a decline in geopolitical risk premiums following the US-Iran deal, according to Fitch Ratings. This is reflected in yield spreads between GCC investment-grade debt and US Treasury bonds having returned to pre-war levels.
UAE defence group EDGE and Italy's Leonardo have joined hands to launch a new venture that will develop advanced defence sensors and systems. The JV will also serve as a platform to sell the M-346 fighter-trainer aircraft and other defence products in Europe and international markets.
Havelock One, a leading interior fit-out contractor in the region, has announced that it has been signed up as the front-of-house fit-out contractor for The Avenues - Khobar, an ambitious mixed-use development coming up on a 820,000 sq m area in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
The GDP of GCC states is forecast to grow by 8.1% in 2027 as energy trade routes normalise, travel demand returns, and business confidence rebuilds, says a report.
New real estate projects worth AED1 trillion ($272.29 billion) will be launched or developed in Dubai within the next five years, says W Capital, a real estate brokerage firm.
Leading Bahraini developer Naseej has emerged as the highest bidder for the Madinat Khalifa housing project, a development of more than 2,500 homes being implemented under the government's Land Development Programme (GLDP). The project covers secondary and tertiary infrastructure work on two land parcels.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) plans to raise the country's oil production to two million barrels per day (bpd) within a week, amid the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under a US-Iran peace agreement, said KPC's Deputy Chairman and CEO Sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah.
Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new national carrier, on Thursday launched daily direct flights between Riyadh and Dubai, operated by its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) activities contributed SAR1,045 billion ($278.74 billion) to non-oil GDP in 2025, representing 39% of the Kingdom's total non-oil GDP, up from SAR996 billion in 2024, said the program's annual report.
The US-Iran deal should allow a return of container shipping to the Strait of Hormuz, but the scale of disruption caused by the blockade puts a recovery of ocean supply chain networks at mid-September 2026, in a best-case scenario, says Xeneta, an ocean and air freight intelligence platform.
Ellington Properties, a leading design-led real estate group, has announced the launch of its newest residential development, Everly Place, located at Meydan Horizon in Dubai featuring 209 residences across a curated mix of one - to three-bedroom apartments overlooking the crystal lagoon.
Amanat Holdings, a leading listed healthcare and education company in the GCC, today announces it has acquired an additional 10.03% stake in Cambridge Health Group (CHG) for AED105 million ($28.59 million), completing the full 100% acquisition of CHG.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Dubai Campus has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fluid Codes, Dubai, an Ansys (part of Synopsys) Elite Channel Partner, to establish the MAHE Dubai x Fluid Codes Centre of Excellence for Engineering Design & Simulation.
The UAE has announced the launch of its first sovereign retail sukuk programme, offering individual investors access to government-backed Islamic investment instruments through a public subscription process. The sukuk will be offered through an IPO-style subscription framework.
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, has revealed that it provided $9.35 billion in trade finance approvals in 2025.
Boards across Middle East are emerging as the most forward-looking and tech-focused globally, leading the world on AI governance. However skills and subject matter expertise remain the region’s biggest barrier to better board decision-making, said an expert.
Nissan Middle East closed Fiscal Year 2025 (April 2025 to March 2026) by delivering a landmark financial and commercial performance, concluding the period as the most profitable year on record for the regional entity.
The Abdul Latif Jameel group, led by Chairman Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, takes the top spot in the Forbes Middle East Top 100 Family Businesses 2026 list.
The UAE is entering a new phase of government development built on deploying Agentic AI in the design of public services, policies and procedures, advancing the leadership's vision of building the world's most effective and forward-looking government, a senior minister has said .
